Chapter 2

Visualize Zion, the city of our designated time

Your eyes will see Jerusalem a tranquil habitation.  To visualize the pleasantness of the Lord and seek deep understanding in His Temple,

Teachings of “Efraim My firstborn, ” height of his activity. 

Cont e n t s :

It is a commandment and manifold obligation for every man of Israel, for all those engaged in gathering in the exiles, certainly for anyone who bears any responsibility whatsoever in administering public affairs in the Holy Land, even more so anyone engaged in settlement of the Holy Land--all of them must learn to know and understand well, profoundly, and completely, all 156 aspects and characteristics of the Mashiach of the beginning of the Redemption, Mashiach ben Yosef, through whom the ingathering of the exiles will occur as part of the beginning of the Redemption when the awakening comes from below.

Below are the 156 aspects and characteristics of Mashiach ben Yosef, which include all the appellations and the good qualities involved in the beginning of the Redemption.  The number 156 is significant because in gematira the value of  “Yosef” is 156, and so is the value of “Zion.” Both Yosef and Zion are in sefirat Yesod.  According to the Midrash (Tanchuma, end of parsha “Vayegash”), whatever happened to Yosef, happened to Zion.

1.      [Jer.  31:9] “Efraim is my firstborn”; [Jer: 31:5] “Mount Efraim, ” [Jer.  31:17] “Efraim wanders”; (Jer.  31:20) “Efraim is my favorite son” -- all these are basic aspects of Mashiach ben Yosef that appear in the same chapter.  Efraim is called God’s firstborn, because he is the first Mashiach through whom the ingathering of the exiles will occur, which means the exodus from exile.  Mount Efraim is so called because it leads Israel up to Zion, as we learn from the verse: “call out from Mount Efraim, ’Rise and let us ascend to Zion.’” The aspect ‘Efraim wanders, ’ signifies that Mashiach ben Yosef has no rest, he wanders from north to south, and from south to north, as written:  “wake up North, and come to the South.” The initial letters of the 4 Hebrew words,  , are equal in gematria to the value of Mashiach ben Yosef (566).  “Efraim is my favorite son” is the aspect ‘Lovingkindness, ’ because Efraim himself is from the left side, that means, from the side of Din, and always accepts influence from the right side, that is, from the quality of Lovingkindness.  This is the import of: “and he placed his right hand on the head of Efraim.” We are commanded to speak of him constantly: “for whenever I speak of him, I remember him better” (Jer: 31:20) etc.  Efraim is the one who wages war against Armilus.  In gematria, and are equal [331].

          All the above-mentioned aspects are in the line of Yosef ben Rachel, from the land; thus this chapter speaks about Rachel--Rachel who weeps for her children.  “Refrain your voice from weeping ...  they will return from the land of the enemy” refers to the exodus from exile; “your children will return to their border” refers to the immigration (ascent) to Zion. 

2.      (Hab.  3:16) “that I might rest in the day of trouble” -- In his commentary on Habakkuk, the Gaon explains that this verse refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  Likewise  “the Lord will reply to you on your day of trouble, ” and, in the same chapter, “the Lord will save his anointed one.” As is known, wherever the term “salvation” appears, it connotes that characteristic of Mashiach ben Yosef. 

3.      “truth springs up from the land, and righteousness looks down from heaven” (Ps.  85:12) -- The verse refers to Mashiach ben Yosef from the land, and to righteousness that is based on the quality of Din (Judgment).  This is indicated by the verse that follows it: “yea, the Lord will give that which is good, and our land will yield its produce” (Ps.  85:13).

4.      “the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Ps.  118:22) -- As noted in the Zohar (on Bamidbar), the verse refers to an aspect of Yosef.  In gematria, the initials of this verse [ ] equal [161].  In his blessings to his children, Jacob said about Yosef: “from there he became the shepherd, the stone of Israel” [Gen.  49:24].

5.      “[You shall have] a perfect and just weight” (Deut.  25:15) -- According to the Gaon, these words indicated that his first mission was being the light of Mashiach ben Yosef.  Following the command to use a perfect and just weight, we read about wiping out Amalek, and immediately afterwards, we find: “when you come to the Land” [Deut.  26:1], which is similar to the verse “when you come to the Land and plant” [Lev.  19:23], etc.  All these are thus related and of equal importance.  From this the Gaon learned about his great mission regarding the revealed end.  The Gaon wrote that “a perfect weight” is a characteristic of Din from the left side.  Only when on his way to the Land of Israel, did the Gaon realize that he had reached the level of “faithful shepherd” [appellation of Moshe Rabbeinu] in the verse:  [Isa.  54:7] “with abundant mercy I will gather you.” [Those words, in gematria, equal the Gaon’s name: !  .] Therefore, the Gaon felt that he did not have the permission of Heaven to enter Eretz Israel.  He then directed his students to act like the aspect of Joshua: that is, to begin fulfilling the obligation of ingathering exiles.  

6.      (Ps.  97:11) “light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright of heart” -- This refers to another aspect of Mashiach ben Yosef.  As is known, in general a righteous person is in the line of Yosef.  For more details, see below (#109) concerning “when justice reverts to righteousness, and all the upright of heart follow it” [Ps.  94:15]. 

7.      (Lam.  2: 4) “the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion” -- This is the middle line, the line of compassion.  Similarly, the “stone of Israel” is on the right, and the “House of Jacob” on the left.

8.      (Ps.  22:1) “the first rays of light before the dawn” -- In this Psalm we find: “my God, why have you forsaken me, ” which was the prayer of Queen Esther who was from the line of Mashiach ben Yosef.  See below (#141).  Our Sages said (Yerushalmi: Brachot, ch.  1) that the redemption of Israel will come about like the first rays of light before the dawn.  They were referring to the beginning of the Redemption, the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  In connection with this, as an additional explanation of , they also noted and referred to the mystery of Jacob’s blessing of Naftali:  [Gen.  49:21] “a hind let loose.” This is in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef, from the aspect of “the firstborn of his ox” [see 11] which is explained by the Gaon in his commentary on Habakkuk (Ch.  2).

9.      (Ps.  69:36) “God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah” -- This is similar to the verse “I was brought low, and he saved me, ” which, according to the Gaon, was said about Mashiach ben Yosef, and thus is also in the line of Yosef.

10.    (Ps.  4:2) “in my distress, you relieved me -- Likewise, “in distress ...  the Lord answered me and brought me relief” similar to the verse “He placed it as testimony in Yosef.” Whenever the verb “to call” to God from distress is used, and followed by God answering, this is in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef.

11.    (Deut.  33:17) “the firstborn of his ox is glory to him” -- an ox is the aspect of Yosef from the north side, from where Yosef comes when the awakening starts from below.In Tikunei Zohar it states: “Mashiach from below will awaken” (p.  30).  See the Gaon’s explanation there.  Similarly, in Midrash Tanchuma (on Genesis), it states that in the verse “those who send forth an ox to roam freely” [lit., the leg of an ox], the ox refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  See below (Section 85) for the aspect: “His land is blessed by the Lord.”

12.    (Gen.  28:3) “that God Almighty bless him" [Isaac’s blessing to Jacob when Jacob left for Padan-Aram] -- When spelled out as pronounced, "# " " becomes      , its value equals 1000 minus 1, that is, 999, which is in Yesod, according to the Gaon in his explanation of the Hebrew alphabet (See  Extracts of the Gaon).  Also see The gates of heaven on the verse: “that God Almighty bless etc.  The number 999 is the highest level of Mashiach ben Yosef when the awakening comes from below, as written: “the smallest will become a thousand, ” etc.

13.    (Ps.  126:6) “he will surely come with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves” -- According to the Gaon’s commentary on Habakkuk (Ch.  2), this verse refers to the two meshichim because the same verb is used twice, with a slight modification (lit.: come, he will come).  The first one refers to the first mashiach: Mashiach ben Yosef; the second one, , to the last mashiach: Mashiach ben David.

14.    (Ps.  5:4 ) “in the morning, I will direct my prayer to you, ” and wait expectantly -- The word  “morning” is in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef.  In gematria, equals [643] “as testimony in Yosef.”

15.    (Gen.  39:5) “the blessing of God ...  in the house and in the field” -- This verse was said regarding Yosef.  This blessing is included in the secret of the six names of God which, together, in gematria equal 156 (26x6).   “Yosef” equals 156, and so does “Zion.”

16.    (Isa.  30:15) “in quietness and in security will be your might” -- In the same chapter, we find, “in returning and rest you will be saved.” The meaning of  “in quietness” is like the verse “place it ! ‘in the ears of’ Yehoshua.” The word ! in gematria equals (70).   “In returning and rest you will be saved” means ‘heh’ will return to ‘vau, ’ As it says in the Zohar about the word ‘Teshuva.’ Then ‘vau’ will return to ‘heh’ as explained in the Zohar which is the revelation of the Redemption, and in this manner you will be saved [see 21].  Also, there is a hint of this in the word  which in gematria equals Eretz Israel [832].

17.    (Ov.  1:18 ) “the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Yosef a flame” -- The House of Esau will be stubble as our Sages said (in Tanchuma on ), because the Angel of Esau will fall into the hand of the Angel of Yosef.

18.    (Num.  25: ) [ (Num.  25:12)] “ my covenant of peace” -- Both words are in Yesod and are used in connection with Pinchas, who is from the root of the soul of Yosef.  Mashiach ben Yosef is also from the root of the soul of Pinchas.

19.    (Ps.  81:8) “in distress you called out, and I rescued you” -- This relates to the verses “as testimony in Yosef” and “in distress I called out to the Lord and He answered me with expansiveness [i.e., by bringing me relief]” (Ps.  118:5).

20.    (Joel 3:5) “among the remnant whom the Lord calls” -- The term ‘remnant’ refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  In gematria both and equal 566.  In the verse quoted it states: “And it will be that whoever calls on the name of the Lord will escape, for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be refuge, and among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”

21.    (Isa.  30:15) “in returning and rest you will be saved” -- That is, when the letter ‘heh’ returns to the letter ‘vau, ’ as explained in the holy Zohar, then the letter ‘vau’ comes down to ‘heh.’ The holy Zohar explains that the Redemption is at ‘vau’ that is after the ‘heh, ’ which refers to Knesset Israel, draws near ‘vau’ during the awakening from below--this is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef in the line of Yosef son of Rachel.  (See above, 16, regarding the aspect, “in quietness and in confidence”). 

22.    (Ps.  22:1) “the lustre of the dawn and the fleetness of the dawn” -- Both are in the line of the first Mashiach.

23.    (Jer.  31:8) “with entreaties I will lead them” -- The word , which appears in the verse “weeping they will come and with entreaties I will lead them” etc., has the same numerical value in gematria as (566).  The verse concludes with “Efraim is my firstborn, ” referring to Mashiach ben Yosef.  “With entreaties, ” in order to atone for the sin noted in “when he entreated us, we did not listen.” In the holy Zohar we find that the word in gematria equals [34].  (See below, 27, regarding the aspect, “I was brought low, and He saved me”).

24.    Gavriel -- The angel Michael mitigates the quality of Din in Gavriel, because the root of Mashiach ben Yosef is in the line of Gavriel, meaning the quality of Din, as it says, “And the man Gavriel” (Daniel 9:21).  Through Gavriel, Yosef fell into distress; and through him, Yosef became great.  This is the explanation of my colleague, R’ Saadiah. 

25.    (Ps.  103:4) “who redeems your life from the pit” -- This is preceded by the verse: “who heals all your diseases.” Redemption is in Yesod hinted at in the numerical value of the letters of as pronounced:   .The value is 1194 as is the value of “His tabernacle [was] in Shalem, and his dwelling place in Zion, ” which makes the verses comparable, and thus part of the mission of the Gaon.

26.    (Song 4:12) “like a locked garden ...  a sealed fountain” -- These are in the line of Tsofnat Paneach.  The Gaon hinted that in gematria equals [156].  This is explained below in 98 from the aspect of “mystery.”

27.    (Ps.  116:6) “I was brought low, and He saved me” -- King David, of blessed memory, said this prayer to save Mashiach ben Yosef so that the latter would not die, as explained by the Gaon is his work .  Mashiach ben Yosef is in the line of Joshua bin Nun. 

28.    (Es.  9:30) “words of peace and truth” -- That means the unification of Yesod and Malchut, which is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef. 

29.    (Ps.  20:7) “the Lord has saved his anointed one” -- The entire Psalm that begins with “the Lord will answer you in your day of distress, ” is a prayer to save Mashiach ben Yosef so that the latter should not die.  This is explained by the Gaon in his commentary on Habakkuk regarding the verse:  “that I might rest on the day of distress”; and also in connection with  !# [Ps.  20:3] “‘your help from the sanctuary”’ which hints at   “Mashiach ben Efraim’” because it equals it in gematria [741]. 

30.    (Ps.  126:5) “those who sow in tears will reap in joy” -- The footsteps of the Mashiach will be like this.  Every good thing will come out of pain and distress.  As written, “he who walks along weeping, bearing the measure of seeds, will certainly return with rejoicing, bearing his sheaves” (Ps.  126:6).  This is in the line of “my sheaf rose and remained standing.” The verb ‘to come’ appears twice: , referring to the two Meshichim, as explained by the Gaon in his commentary on Habakkuk.

31.    (Ez.  36:8) “you, mountains of Israel, will send forth your branch” -- In the same chapter we find: “...and the cities will be inhabited, and the ruins will be rebuilt” (Ez.  36:10).  Preceding this is the verse: “behold [I have spoken] in my jealousy.” All these are signs of the revealed end, according to our Sages (Sanhedrin 98a, Megillah 17b), as is also the verse: “for as the earth sends forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes its seeds to sprout forth, so will the Lord God cause righteousness and praise to sprout forth before the eyes of all the nations” (Isa.  61:11).  This was the main aspiration of the Gaon, Rabbi Eliyahu.  It is called the ‘revealed’ end after the ‘revealed’ world, from the aspect of Yosef ben Rachel, and after  God who is ‘revealed’ by the purification of the holiness of the Holy Land and its fruit from the spirit of the [the Sitra Achra], which is accomplished when fulfilling the commandments pertaining to the Holy Land. 

32.    (Ps.  48:3) “Mount Zion on the sides of the north” -- For it is “fairest of sites, joy of the whole earth, ” a description similar to what was said about Yosef.  According to the Midrash (Tanchuma), everything that happened to Yosef happened to Zion.  For Mashiach ben Yosef is in the North according to the Midrash.  Also, in gematria equals [156].  In the same Psalm is the verse: walk around Zion and encircle her, count her towers, etc.  (v.  13), which refers to the five circles of holiness around Jerusalem. 

33.    (Gen.  48:16) “the angel who redeems me” -- “The angel who redeems” is the Angel of Yosef.  This means that as soon as Yosef was born, Jacob was able to overpower Esau.  As known, the redeemer is in Yesod. 

34.    (Ps.  111:3) “Hod and Hadar are His work, and His righteousness endures forever” -- Hod has the quality of Din.  has the same meaning as in the verse: like the firstborn of his ox is his glory.  Both Hod and Hadar are in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef according to the Gaon, as revealed in the mystery of the Hebrew alphabet (Likutei Hagr”a, p.40).

35.    (Isa.  60:22) “the smallest will become a thousand and the youngest a mighty nation” -- The ‘smallest’ refers to Efraim as is written: “his smaller brother will be more numerous than he, and his seed will be filled with nations.” The ‘youngest’ also refers to Efraim.  The meaning is that if he reaches the level of 1000 minus one, that is 999 in the sefira Yesod, which is the final level of the awakening from below, then I am the Lord, [even] in its time, I will hasten it.  The term ‘thousand’ means until 1000 exclusive of the number 1000, for the thousandth level will be completed with the clouds of heaven, completely miraculously. 

36.    (Isa.  54:2) “expand the site of your tent, ” etc.  -- The commandment to expand the borders is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef as God had told the prophet Jonah, who was on the level of Mashiach ben Yosef, to restore the border of Israel (II Kings 14:25).  Likewise the verse: “in distress...in expansiveness, ” means that it was his mission to expand the boundaries in the war against Amalek, who was the destroyer, according to the Midrash.  “The enemy, the destructions are gone forever” which is related to the verse: “God wages war against Amalek.” The verb “expands” is used in opposition to the verb “destroys” [the order of the letters and are in reverse order in the two words]. 

37.    (Ps.  125:1) “Mount Zion never falters, but abides forever” -- Likewise, a righteous person never falters (Prov.12:6).  As brought in the Midrash: whatever occurred to Yosef, occurred to Zion. 

38.    (Song 2:12) “the buds were seen in the land, the songbird’s time has arrived, and the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land” -- This refers to designated missions, designated times and designated people.  The buds are the designated missions, that is, the footsteps of the Mashiach.  The songbird’s time has arrived: these are the designated times, that is, the ends and the times of remembrance.  The voice of the songbird is heard: that is, the designated people, the special messengers.  All of these are included in the mission of the first Mashiach.The voice of the turtle-dove is the sound that precedes the turtle-dove.  The turtle-dove is Moshe Rabbeinu who comes with Mashiach ben David, the final redeemer. 

39.    (Gen.  42:8) Yosef recognized his brothers, but they did not recognize him -- This is one of the traits of Yosef not only in his own generation, but in every generation, i.e., that Mashiach ben Yosef recognizes his brothers, but they do not recognize him.  This is the work of Satan, who hides the characteristics of Mashiach ben Yosef so that the footsteps of the Mashiach are not recognized and are even belittled because of our many sins.  (See below 103).  Otherwise, our troubles would already have ended.  Were Israel to recognize Yosef, that is, the footsteps of ben Yosef the Mashiach which is the ingathering of the exiles etc., then we would already have been redeemed with a complete redemption.

40.    (Gen.  49:24) “but his bow was emplaced firmly” -- This is a basic important principle for us: we must stand firm and very stiff-necked with regard to our holy work of gathering in the exiles that will be accomplished by the first Mashiach.

41.    (Gen.  42:6) “now Yosef [was] the ruler over the land” -- That is, he had overpowered all the forces of impurity, and this is one of the great tasks of the first Mashiach -- to eradicate the spirit of impurity from the land by settling the Holy Land, for the spirit of impurity rules in the Holy Land where it is desolate, and this is revealed in the words, [gematria: 832] “and the land will not become desolate.” Though this was said about Egypt, the reference was to [gematria: 832] Eretz Israel, in accord with the spirit of Yosef, and as affirmed in gematria. 

42.    (Ps.  76:3) “His tabernacle [was] in Shalem, and his dwelling place in Zion” -- We have already explained that all the characteristics of Zion are in the line of Yosef as explained in the Midrash (Tanchuma, end of the parsha “Vayegash”).  The Gaon saw in this verse [gematria 1200] a holy hint regarding his name including three generations of his family, i.e., ! [gematria 1200].  He adds: Just as the commandment regarding a succah is a command to do something, not to take from what is already made, so is the commandment regarding Zion. 

43.    The upper light (in the Zohar, and in the Ari’s Book on Gilgulim) -- is the root of Yosef, the root of Metatron the minister of Interior whose value in gematria is 999.  This is the meaning of (Deut.  60:22) “the smallest will become a thousand, ” which was said regarding Efraim as explained above (#35).

44.    (Deut.  32:7) “remember the days of old, understand the years of generation after generation” -- This refers to the first Mashiach who fights Amalek in an eternal war.  The Lord wages war against Amalek in generation after generation.  That is the mission of Joshua who was Mashiach ben Yosef.

45.    (Zach.  8:12) “the seed is of peace” -- Shalom [peace] is in the sefira Yesod, and therefore the seed of peace is ben Yosef, and the force of  “‘shalom’” is the one that subdues  “Esau.’” In gematria they are equal (376).  We learn this from the verse: “...the seed is of peace, the vine will give forth its fruit, and the land...its produce.” The gematria relates this to the revealed end. 

46.    (Ps.  21:5) “life he requested of You; You gave him length of days” -- This was said about Mashiach ben Yosef, as explained at length in the works of the holy Ari, in the section on intentions.  This is one of the prayers included in the Psalms, that King David of blessed memory prayed for the life of Mashiach ben Yosef. 

47.   ([mentioned in] Ex.  17:13) “the sword of Joshua” -- This is the sword of the first Mashiach who fights Amalek as revealed in the great force of the name of God that is concealed in the words “the war of the Lord” and in the combination of two names of God,  ""   (value of 91), that is also the value of the word [91] go out, used in connection with fighting Amalek. 

48.    (Isa.  33:20) “visualize Zion, the city of our designated times” -- This is in the line of Rachel, as hinted at in the initial letters of the verse: , which in gematria [value: 238] equals [238].  It refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  The holy Ari considered this verse a hint that his own name was that of Mashiach ben Yosef (as brought in the section on gilgulim and in the section on kavanot in Pri Etz Chaim on the prayer beginning “and the throne of David, your servant” in the Amidah.

49.    (Ps.  16:6) “lots...in pleasant places” -- This refers to the lot of the first Mashiach.This is also hinted at in the verse: [ ] (Ez.  47: 13) two lots for Yosef. 

50.    “the wisdom of scribes” (See !  Tikunei Zohar, Tikun 70, the Gaon’s commentary there) -- One of the matters listed by our Sages as connected with the footsteps of the Mashiach is that the wisdom of the scribes will stink (Sotah, 49).  The Gaon explains in Tikunei Zohar (p.  139) that this refers to the wisdom in gematria hints, in the mystery of the chariot, and in numerology (commentary of the Gaon in Tikunei Zohar, p.  5), that are revealed by Mashiach ben Yosef.  These are the mission of Rabbi Eliyahu, the Vilna Gaon, the light of Mashiach ben Yosef, who, as is known suffered greatly from derision regarding this. 

51.    Good is in the sefira Yesod -- See the explanation of the Gaon regarding “tet” in the sefira Yesod: “whoever sees good in a dream, ” etc.  This is a trait of Yosef, about whom it says: “A good eye will be blessed.” It is 999 in the sefira Yesod (  Likutei Hagr’a, p.41).

52.    “what is hidden is good” or “the North is good” -- according to the verse (Ps.  31:20) “how abundant is your goodness that you have hidden away” or “...that you have placed in the North.” This is the same aspect as mentioned above.  The Gaon explains in the Song of Songs that the verse refers to the northern side, where all the good things are, as explained in the Midrash where it states that Mashiach ben Yosef is in the North.  

53.    (Prov.  22:9) “one who has a good [bountiful] eye will be blessed” -- (in  Likutei Hagr’a).  That means 999 in the sefira Yesod, which refers to Yosef, as explained above, because he gave of his bread to the poor. 

54.    “Yosef, son of Rachel and son of Jacob” -- Mashiach ben Yosef from two aspects: as son of Rachel from the land, and as son of Jacob from heaven.  Sometimess both aspects are combined: Yosef, son of Jacob and Rachel.  -- “even all in the Heavens and Earth.” In gematria has the same value as Yesod [80],

55.    (Ex.  17:16) “the hand is on the throne of God” [God swears]: “the Lord wages war against Amalek from generation to generation” -- This is the mission of Joshua who is Mashiach ben Yosef. 

56.    “the unification of Yesod and Malchut” -- This is one of the principal missions of Mashiach ben Yosef:to unify heaven and earth, to unify the two meshichim, which means the tree of Yosef with the tree of Judah during the awakening from below with the joining of Jerusalem above with Jerusalem below by a rebuilt Jerusalem.  Then it will be like a city that is united together (Ps.  122:3). 

57.    (Ps.  118:18) “God has chastened me considerably, but has not given me over to death.” The entire Psalm, that begins with “in distress, I called out to the Lord, ” was said about Mashiach ben Yosef, as explained below (#88), from the aspect of the expansiveness on the part of God.  In this sense it is connected to the verse: “I was brought low, and He saved me, ” according to the commentary of the Gaon, as explained below.  This is one of the prayers that King David, of blessed memory, prayed so that Mashiach ben Yosef would not die.

58.    (Gen.  42:6) “Yosef [was/is] the ruler over the land” -- This refers to the fact that Yosef overpowers all the outer layers of impurity of Ismael and Esau. 

59.    (Ps.  72:17) “may his name be perpetuated” -- “may his name be perpetuated forever, for as long as the sun endures.” In that same Psalm we find: “may the righteous flourish in his days, abundant peace beyond the days of the moon” [Ps.  72:7].  According to our Sages (Sanhedrin 98b)., the word is one of the names of mashiach, that is, it refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.

60.    (Jer.  31:16) “there is hope regarding your end...  and your children will return to their border” -- The entire Psalm, particularly from the verse beginning “behold I am bringing you from the North” was said about Mashiach ben Yosef and the ingathering of the exiles.  Four traits of Efraim are mentioned in the Psalm (as explained above in 1 on “Efraim is My firstborn”), and all of them are from the aspect of Yosef ben Rachel, which means when the awakening comes from below until the final level of 999 in the sefira Yesod, which is divided into two: 499 1/2 on the left, the quality of Din; and 499 1/2 on the right, the quality of Lovingkindness.  This is the meaning of “the smallest will become a thousand...” as explained above.  Then the number 1000 will be completed on both sides when there will be [] 500 in vau, and [] 500 in heh.  This is what is meant by   .

61.    (Ps.  110:6) He will judge the nations filled with corpses -- The entire Psalm, beginning with “Sit on my right” was said about Mashiach ben Yosef, whose name is hinted at in the initial letters of the words going from left to right, just like the quality of Din starts at the left side.  It is also written in this Psalm,   from a river along the way he will drink.  This refers to the quality of Lovingkindness, which is hinted at in the initial letters from right to left, just as the quality of Lovingkindness starts at the right side. 

62.    Joshua bin Nun -- together with Mashiach ben Efraim who wages war against Amalek.  Akiba ben Yosef is in the line of Joshua, and this is affirmed in gematria [391].  Likewise, it states [Ps.  132:6] “we heard about it in Efrata, ” which refers to Joshua from the tribe of Efraim (Zevachim 54b).

63.    (Isa.  14:32) “for God founded Zion, and in it the poor of his people take shelter” -- Yosef and Zion are in the sefira Yesod.  Their rebuilding comes through poverty according to the trait of Mashiach ben Yosef, like the verse “I was brought low, and He saved me, ” and as it says, “in weeping they will come, and with entreaties I will lead them, ” as explained above (#23)--from the aspect of entreaties I will lead them.

64.    (Isa.  40:3) “make a straight path in the desert” -- The initial letters of these words from left to right hint at Mashiach ben Yosef.  As is known, all the activities concerned with preparing the way and paving the road for the Redemption are part of the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  “in the desert” hints at the revealed end; they are equal in gematria [279].  With this, the Gaon hinted to me concerning my mission from heaven, with the help of God. 

65.    (Isa.  42:13) “like a man of war he will stir up zealousness” -- All war waged against enemies of God occur as part of the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  The first one given this mission was Joshua bin Nun.  The term  means zealousness on behalf of God and Zion, and indeed, in gematria the value of is 156, as is the value of . 

66.    (Ps.  102:14) “for it is the time to favor her” -- The Psalm also states: “You will have mercy on Zion.” All matters of mercy and comfort for Zion are part of the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef, and this is hinted at in the gematria of the words which equal [643].

67.    (Isa.  9:6) “David’s throne” -- This refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.In the same verse we find: “to establish it and sustain it through justice and righteousness.” Preceding this verse, the Psalm states: “for a child has been born to us” etc.  According to the holy Ari (on the blessing )[see 127], there is a great and holy obligation when we say the prayer that we always concentrate on praying that Mashiach ben Yosef will not be killed by the wicked Armilus.  As it says: “I will raise [] the fallen tabernacle of David” (Amos 9:11).  Wherever the verb is used, it refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  See above (#133) about the aspect of “My sheaf rose.” This idea is also hinted at in the world (with a )which is equal to 566 [as is ].  The purpose of his work in gathering in the exiles is to establish David’s throne in our war against the wicked Armilus as revealed in the verse  “the Lord wages war against Amalek.”

68.    (Isa.  61:10) “like a bridegroom who adorns himself with splendor” -- Adornment is part of the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef from the aspect of Yosef ben Jacob in the sefira Tiferet.

69.    (I Chron.  29:11) “even all in the Heavens and Earth” -- That is, in the sefira Yesod in the line of Yosef.  The words in gematria equal [80].  Likewise, in gematria the words equal .  [741] Mashiach ben Efraim..

70.    (Isa.  44:28) “he will fulfill all my desires” -- This was said about Jerusalem by Ezra and Nehemiah as part of the mission by Cyrus as noted in this Psalm: “who says of Cyrus, ‘he is My shepherd, ’ he will fulfill all my desires, and who says of Jerusalem ‘it will be built, ’ and of the Temple ‘it will be established.’” All this will be according to the quality of Din from the left side, as the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.

71.   (Malachi 3:24) “the heart of fathers to the children” -- “Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet, ” etc.  and he will return the heart of fathers to the children.” One of his missions is to revive the soul of Mashiach ben Yosef.This is hinted at in the words which is equal to the value of [643], and as is known, Messiah ben Yosef is from the root of the soul of Elijah. 

72.    (Isa.  28:6) “counterattack” [lit.: return the war to the gate] -- The word is composed of the initial letters of Mashiach ben Yosef, whose mission it is to wage war against Amalek in the gates of Jerusalem at the entrance to the city.

73.    (Ps.  24:3) “who may ascend the Lord’s mountain” -- The initial letters of the first three words are the initial letters of Mashiach ben Yosef [though not in the same order], whose duty it was to gather in the exiles.  Likewise the initial letters of [in that same verse] “who may rise within His holy place” are the initial letters of Mashiach ben Yosef .The term refers to building from the aspect ofô My sheaf rose.ö The words [24:5] “he will receive a blessing from the Lord, ” also begins with the initial letters of Mashiach ben Yosef.  The word ‘blessing’ refers to planting, which can be affected by a blessing.  The initial letters of the noun form of the second words in the three quotations just mentioned, that is, ' ' , form the word , and thus refer to the direction of the footsteps of the Mashiach . 

74.    (Ps.  31:12) “because of all my enemies, I became a disgrace” -- The entire Psalm is one of the prayers that King David, of blessed memory, prayed on behalf of Mashiach ben Yosef, as it says: “you have known of the troubles of my soul” [Ps.  31:8].  Similarly, we find written in connection with Yosef: “because we have seen the distress of his soul, I was forgotten like a corpse from the heart.  "how abundant is your goodness that you placed in the North [] for those who fear you.” The word indicates that this refers to Mashiach ben Yosef, because he is from the north [ ].  See above (#52) on the aspect “the North is good.” It says about the footsteps of the Mashiach, “for they have taunted the footsteps of Your Mashiach” (Ps.  89:52). 

75.   admonish to repent.  -- not only Israel, but also the other nations, in the line of the prophet Jonah, who was the Mashiach ben Yosef in his generation, as explained in midrashim and in the holy Zohar.  As is written:  (Isa.  2:4) he will admonish many peoples; also, [ ] (Prov.  24:25) “for the admonishers it will be pleasant, and a good blessing will come upon them”; and also, (Isa.  11:4) “and admonish righteously the humble of the earth.”

76.    (II Sam.  22:34) “who made my legs like the hinds’” -- ‘My legs like those of hinds, ’ refers to both meshichim who lament in Netzach and Hod and stand in the gates of rebuilt Jerusalem.  It is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef to make these legs, the legs of the footstool of God in an equal and righteous manner 499 for the left section and 499 for the right section--together 999 in Yesod. 

77.    ( Gen.  49:24) “by the hand of the Mighty Power of Jacob; from there he became the shepherd, the stone of Israel” -- This is the blessing of Yosef with regard to the existence of Mashiach ben Yosef.  The meaning is like the verse “ one stone has 7 eyes [apertures]” (The Holy Zohar on Numbers, p.  243). 

78.    (Ex.  17:16) “God wages war against Amalek from generation to generation” -- All this is the task of Joshua, who was Mashiach ben Yosef, and this task has continued in every generation and has become more and more difficult in the footsteps of Mashiach ben Yosef, and this is the war against Armilus (as explained above in 67 from the aspect of David’s throne).

79.    a fountain of salvation.  -- This is in line with joy according to our Sages (Succah 48), and refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  So in gematria equals Mashiach ben Yosef [566].  The Gaon told us that if he had been created solely in order to comprehend what our Sages meant (Ibid.) with regard to joy and happiness -- he would be satisfied. 

80.    (Gen.  49:10) “nor a lawgiver from among his descendants” -- In the line of Yesod this is said about Mashiach ben Yosef.  This is the explanation of the Gaon in Tikunei Hazohar (p.  36).  There it is written: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from among his descendants” refers to the fact that both meshichim will exist in every generation.

81.    (Isa.  52:7) “he announces salvation” -- In that chapter, we find the words “the footsteps of the herald, ” which refer to both meshichim.  But the verse, “he announces salvation, ” is written in the singular form because it refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  This is so, because whenever salvation during the footsteps of Mashiach appears, it refers to the mission of Joshua bin Nun and the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  This is explained by the Gaon in his commentary on the verse “I will bear the cup of salvation.”

82.    (Num.  17:20) “his staff will blossom” -- Note the hints in this verse: the man I choose .  The initial letters of the last three words [ ' ' ] are the initials of  [ ' '] Mashiach ben Yosef, though in a different order.  In addition, in gematria equals [358]. 

83.    (Isa.  32:20) “those that send forth the ox to roam freely” -- The Midrash (Tanchuma on Genesis) explains that in , the ox refers to Mashiach ben Yosef.  [See 11.] Preceding these words, in the same sentence, we find: “happy are those who sow every wet place.” Also, in the same chapter it says: “and my people will dwell in a peaceful habitation and in secure dwellings and in tranquil resting places” [Isa.  32:18].

84.    “brings a redeemer” -- This is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  Redemption is in the sefira Yesod, which is hinted at in the gematria of the word (see the GaonÆs commentary on Tikunei Zohar). 

85.    (Deut.  33:13) “his land is blessed by the Lord” -- This was said in the blessing of Yosef.  It is on the right side, in opposition to “the firstborn of his ox is his glory” which is on the left side, the quality of Din.  This is explained above as a matter of balanced measures.  In gematria equals [985].

86.    (Lam.  1:16) “a comforter to restore my soul” -- This is one of the appellations of mashiach according to our Sages (Sanhedrin 98b), by comparison with the verse: “and the soul of the child was restored to his insides, ” which was said about Mashiach ben Yosef and according to what is explained in the Tosafot (Baba Metzia 114a). 

87.   (Midrash Rabba) “Mashiach in the North” -- This refers to Mashiach ben Yosef who is in the North on the left side which is the quality of Din.  Similarly, the verse: “how abundant is your goodness that you have placed in the North for those who fear you, as explained above (#52) from the aspect “the North is good.” See the Gaon’s commentary on the Song of Songs, where he explains that indicates the northern side.

88.   “expansiveness” -- (Ps.  118:5) “in distress I called out to the Lord, he answered me with expansiveness” [i.e., he brought me relief] -- Likewise, (Ps.  31:9) “You set my feet in a wide space.” Also there, (Ps 31:20) “how great is your abundance that you have placed in the north for those who fear you [see 19].  Similarly, (Ps.  81:8) “in distress you called out, and I rescued you, I answered you, ” etc.  Also there, (Ps.  81:6) “as testimony in Yosef.”  (Ps.  126) [118:5] from “distress” to “expansiveness.” Likewise, (Isa.  54:2) “expand the site of your tent, ” which is the task of Mashiach ben Yosef to restore the border of Israel which is the mission of the prophet Jonah who was Mashiach ben Yosef as explained above (#36), from the aspect of “expand the site of your tent.” Merchavia is one of the appellations of Eretz Israel, and this is revealed in the letters  of the line of Mashiach ben Yosef as revealed by the word: the expanses of the river, because now God has expanded us, and we have multiplied in the land (Likutei Hagra revealed in the letters  and the explanation there), and it reveals the secret concealed in (I Kings 17:21) “please return this child’s soul.” This is also the intent of the verse (Jer.  31:16) “your children will return to their border, ” that is, after returning from the enemy’s land, they will return to their own border.

89.    “equal measures” -- Mashiach ben David will not come until all measurements are equal [/accurate].  Mashiach ben David will not come until all the prices are equal (Sanhedrin 98a).  This is related to the  equally measured gardens mentioned by our Sages. 

90.    (Jer.  32:12) Neriah -- This is one of the names of Mashiach ben Yosef.  In gematria equals [265].  See below (#96) from the aspect of the revealed book.  Likewise, the verse (Ps.  132:17) “I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.”

91.    (Ps.  126:6) “bearing the measure of seeds” -- This is a characteristic of Mashiach ben Yosef--going from distress to salvation--as explained by the Gaon in his commentary on Habakkuk regarding the verse: “that I might rest on the day of distress” [Hab.  3:16] [see 2].  Likewise, other verses: “it is a time of distress for Jacob, from which he will be saved”; “in distress” till “expansiveness”; “its weepers will become joyful”; “the bearer of sheaves will come in joy.” These are from the aspect “my sheaf rose.” The entire Psalm speak of the return to Zion, i.e., the ingathering of exiles, and that is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.

92.    pursued -- “God always seeks the pursued” as is written (Koh. 3:15) “what has been, already exists; and what is to be, has already been; and God always seeks the pursued.” The pursued is the Mashiach ben Yosef who appears in every generation.  I have already explained that there are hints in the words “God always seeks the pursued.” The hints are revealed through gematria, for the words equal  [832] which is epitomized by Zion, which is in the line of Yosef according to the Midrash (Tanchuma on the parsha “Ki Tezeh”): whatever occurred to Yosef, occurred to Zion. 

93.    (Ps.  31:13) “like the dead, I have been forgotten from the heart” -- In the same Psalm we find: “how abundant is the goodness that you have placed in the North for those who fear you, ” etc.  Also in the same Psalm, we find: “you set my feet in a wide space.” He was forgotten like a dead man from the heart, means: he was forgotten from the heart--from the heart of Jacob, because there is a decree regarding the dead that he is forgotten from the heart of a person, though not from his soul.  Therefore, it is written about Jacob, “and he refused to be comforted.”

94.    “a youth” -- (Gen.  37:2) “and he was a youth” -- Four individuals were given the appellation ’ youth’: Yosef, Joshua, Metatron, and David.

95.    “a man’s soul is the lamp of the Lord” (Prov.  20:27) -- The words “lamp of the Lord” include the union of the three names of God: ' '.  Altogether, in gematria, they equal [250].  Their uniqueness comes from the mystery of the sefira Yesod. 

96.    the unsealed deed in Anatot” (Jer.  32) -- The two deeds mentioned in this chapter refer to the two meshichim.  The open deed refers to Mashiach ben Yosef who is from the aspect of the revealed world .  This is the mystery of the revealed end mentioned by our Sages.  The sealed deed is from the aspect of Mashiach ben Dav id from the aspect of the h idden world .  The unsealed deed is related to the four aspects o f Efraim as noted above (#1) in the discussion o f the aspect “ Efraim is My firstborn , ” and this is the in tention of the revealed end. 

97.    (Gen.  28:12) “a ladder was set on the Land and its top reached to Heaven” -- This is a quality of Yosef as known: whatever occurred to Jacob, occurred to Yosef, that all his deeds are in the awakening from below and he is helped by Heaven.  See above (#69), for the aspect “even everything in the Heavens and Earth” [1 Chron.  29:11].  For Mashiach ben Yosef has two aspects: the aspect of Yosef ben Rachel, and the aspect of Yosef ben Jacob. 

98.    “the secret of the Lord is for those who fear him” (Ps.  25:14) -- Whenever the word is mentioned, it refers to the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef as hinted at in the verse: “place it into the ears of Joshua.” In gematria, ! in the ears of, equals [70] and when the value of the letters of as pronounced are added up [i.e., ' '], they equal  [566].

99.    (Song 4:16) “North, wake up; South, come” -- In gematria, the initial letters of the words: equal [566] Mashiach ben Yosef who first awakens in the North.  As it states in the Midrash: The mashiach is in the North.  Therefore the beginning of the ingathering of the exiles is from the land of the north, as is written: “behold, I will bring them from the land of the North” (Jer.  31:7).  In the same chapter we find: “Efraim is My firstborn, ” and “call out on Mount Efraim, ’Rise and let us go up to Zion’” (Jer.  31: 5) etc., as explained above (#1), in the discussion of the aspect “Efraim is My firstborn.”

100.  (Jer.  30:7) “it is a time of distress for Jacob, from which he will be saved” -- All of this refers to Mashiach ben Yosef, as explained by the Gaon on Habakkuk on the verse: “that I might rest on the day of distress.” Wherever the term salvation occurs, it refers to the mission of Joshua bin Nun, who is in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef with his great strength.  This is revealed in the number 999 in the sefira Yesod in opposition to “it is a time of distress for Jacob.” This is affirmed in gematria [this verse equals 999]: “from which he will be saved” means that from it, with the strength of this number, he will be saved. 

101.  (Ez.  37:19) the wood of Yosef -- This refers to Mashiach ben Yosef for the entire Redemption depends on the unification of the two pieces of wood: the wood of Yosef and the wood of Judah (as it states in this chapter).  They are the two meshichim: Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David, who at first, i.e., when the Redemption starts naturally from below, will be separate individuals in “your hand” [Ez.  37:17].  Afterwards, they will become one in “My hand” [Ez.  37:19], the hand of God--that is, miraculously, with the help of the clouds from Heaven.

102.  (Ez.  37:16) the wood of Efraim û This is the wood of Yosef.  In the same verse we find Yosef is the wood of Efraim.  Regarding this, the Gaon added a hint that in gematria equals , the ingathering of exiles.

103.  (Ps.  89:52) the footsteps of your Mashiach -- In the verse “who taunted the footsteps of your Mashiach.” Wherever footsteps of mashiach are mentioned, they refer to the mission of the first Mashiach, Mashiach ben Yosef.As is known, the enemies of God and the enemies of Israel cause trouble to the entire process of the beginning of the Redemption that occurs in the footsteps of the Mashiach.  In the Psalm, it states regarding this matter: “who taunted the footsteps of your Mashiach” [Ps.  89:52].  Our Sages have already enumerated all the tribulations that come during the footsteps of the Mashiach.  We have no one to lean on except our Father in Heaven and His will that we occupy ourselves with the awakening from below, and stand firmly against all disturbances and taunts.  We must act in the spirit of Eitan HaEzrachi, who is our forefather Abraham, and according to a parable of the Gaon (as explained in Chapter 1), the first Mashiach ben Yosef.  The Gaon added the hint in the verse: “How will I know that I will inherit it .” The word ‘’ in gematria equals [566]. 

104.  “the footsteps of the Mashiach” -- They are called footsteps for two reasons; one, because they come step by step; two, because all the special attributes of the Redemption come like the heels of a person , indirectly, in a roundabout way, so that impure layers do not fasten themselves securely.

105.  (Isa.  26:1) “the city is a stronghold for us; He will grant salvation to its high walls and outer wall.” -- There is a strong tower against the enemy, like the words in the verse: ”out of the mouths of babes and those who nurse, you established strength.” The term salvation and ! strength are in the sefira Yesod.  ’City’ is in the line of Malchut.  Together they unite Yesod and Malchut, which means the city will become united together, which will take place in rebuilt Jerusalem.  So Efraim is referred to as the “stronghold of my head.”

106.  (II Chron.  31:21) “he acted and he succeeded” -- This is one of the characteristics and special attributes of Yosef, that his success comes only by doing, as it says about Yosef: “everything that he did, the Lord made succeed in his hand” (Gen.  39:3..  The Gaon added that there is a hint to this in the fact that the verse: , equals 613 in gematria.

107.  (Gen.  2:9) “the tree of knowledge of good and evil” -- Both are in the sefira Yesod.  As is known, the decision between them depends on a hairbreadth. 

108.  [Gen.: 45:26]) “Joseph is still alive” -- All are in the sefira Yesod, and within these words are concealed the essence of the existence and life of Mashiach ben Yosef as well as the existence of Mashiach ben David.  For as long as Yosef is still alive, King David of Israel is still alive and exists.  Therefore, we pray daily for the life of Mashiach ben Yosef in the prayer that contains the words: “the throne of David, your servant, ” in the blessing “who builds Jerusalem.” This is explained above (#67) from the aspect of David’s throne (see above, chapter 1, section 21).  The Gaon, who was the light of Mashiach ben Yosef used to pray daily the prayer “Yosef is still alive” for all 999 footsteps of the Mashiach during the beginning of the Redemption depend on him.  When saying this prayer the Gaon would mention also the merit of the his own great-grandfather, Rabbi Eliyahu Chasid, who was Mashiach ben Yosef in his generation.  This is the meaning of the verse about Efraim: “I will yet remember him” that is, the characteristic of “Yosef is still alive.”

109.  (Ps.  94:15) “justice will revert to righteousness, and all the upright of heart will follow it” -- Both are in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef, as is written: “righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.” Establishing the throne, David’s throne, is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef, as explained above (#67) from the aspect of “the throne of David, your servant.” The Gaon added a hint to this.  The words in gematria equal  Eretz Israel [832].  The term “righteousness” is also used in connection with Cyrus, who was in the line of Mashiach ben Yosef: “I awakened him with righteousness” [Isa.  45:13]. 

110.  (Ex.  13:19) the bones of Yosef -- This contains the secret of the independence of Mashiach ben Yosef.  From here we learn that all the qualities and special attributes come not only from the channel of abundance in the sefira Yesod, but also from his own nature.  His nature is connected with the final complete Redemption of Mashiach ben David that will come together with Moshe Rabbeinu, the final redeemer.  This is what is meant by: “and Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him.”

111.  (Ps.  122:3) “a city that is united together” -- That is, the complete connection between Jerusalem above and Jerusalem below.  When will this occur? When Jerusalem will be rebuilt, as stated in the same verse.  This connection will be brought about by the two meshichim who are like the feet of God--Netzach and Hod-- as written in this Psalm: “our feet stood within your gates, O Jerusalem.” And the building of Jerusalem below is the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef, and this entails establishing David’s throne, as it says in the prayer about the rebuilding of Jerusalem.  See above (#67) on the aspect “David’s throne.”

112.  (Koh.  10:20) “for a bird of the skies will carry the sound, and some winged creature will relate the matter” -- This was said about Metatron, the Minister of Interior, as brought in Tikunei Zohar.He is the Angel of Mashiach ben Yosef.The word hints at , and in gematria the two words are equal [156]. 

113.  (Jer.  5:1) “one who executes justice, who seeks faithfulness” -- That verse states: “wander about the streets of Jerusalem ..., if you see a man, ” like Gabriel, who seeks faithfulness, as revealed in the words: “a faithful city” [Isa.  1:21] which precedes: “Zion will be redeemed through justice” (Isa.  1:27).  Similarly, “a righteous person lives by his faith” (Hab.  2:4).  With regard to the verse: “one who executes justice, who seeks faithfulness, ” our Sages explained that it refers to men of faith [they also explained that it refers to men of truth] in Jerusalem.

114.  (Zach.  9:9) “a lowly person, riding on a donkey” -- (Midrash Tanchuma on Bereshit) Mashiach ben Yosef is a lowly person, see above (#27), on the aspect of “I was brought low, and he saved me.” His lowliness protects him from death..

115.  (Deut.  11:12) “the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year till the end of the year” -- The word “eyes” in plural form refers to the two meshichim.  The beginning of the year refers to Mashiach ben Yosef who is the quality of Din; the end of the year refers to the month of mercy -- to Mashiach ben David, who is the quality of Mercy.  “The eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, who await his lovingkindness" [Ps.  33:18].  This is from the aspect of Mashiach ben Yosef.  This is what is meant by (Job 8:8) inquire now of the first generation.  The word equals [566]. 

116.  Ezra and Nehemia-- ! Ezra Nehemia are from the aspect of .  In gematria, they are the same [391], as noted by the Gaon in his hints: Joshua is Mashiach ben Yosef.  Likewise, Ezra and Nehemia had the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef.  We have already explained that the entire beginning of the final Redemption, all its details, even minor details, of all the work during the footsteps of the Mashiach--all are included in the mission of Ezra and Nehemia, as occurred during the time of Cyrus, during the Second Temple period. 

117.  (Ps.  81:6) “He placed it as testimony in Yosef when He went forth over the land of Egypt -- This means that the rulership of Yosef overcomes every impure spirit, and the task of Mashiach ben Yosef is to drive away the impure spirit from the Land by gathering in the exiles, rebuilding Jerusalem, and planting the desolate areas.  Thus the Gaon hinted at the following principles: Return to your cities -- in gematria these words equal a testimony in Yosef [643]; likewise, [643] build Jerusalem; likewise [643] for the time has come to favor it [/to plant it].  The word means planting, as is written , which means planting a desolate place.  See above (#73) on the aspect “who will ascend the mountain of God” (in connection with this too, see the Gaon’s hint regarding his own mission: in gematria equals [479].

118.  (Isa.  35:10) “the redeemed [ransomed] of the Lord will return, and come to Zion with glad song” -- Whenever redeem is mentioned, it refers to the mission of Mashiach ben Yosef through whom the exiles will be gathered in, as explained by the Gaon at length in his paper on the secret of the letters (Likutei Hagra).  From this we learn that the main ingathering of exiles is not less that 600, 000, according to the interpretation of our Sages regarding this verse (Masechet Shabbat 88a) in connection with the two crowns and the Golden Calf and the atonement for the sin.  With regard to the verse: “they will obtain joy and happiness, ” our Sages said (Succah 48b).  The Gaon commented about this verse, that had he been born solely to understand the meaning of the Talmud on this matter, he would have considered it worthwhile.  In essence, the verse speaks about the two meshichim.

119.  (Ps.  116:16) “You have released my bonds” -- This was said in connection with “I was brought low and He saved me, ” that was mentioned in the previous chapter as referring to Mashiach ben Yosef, according to the Gaon.  Likewise in connection with “You have released my sack and girded me with joy.” See above (#27), on the aspect of: “I was brought low, and He saved me.”

120.  (Jer.  1:15) “the entrance of Jerusalem’s gates” -- This is the entrance of the city where our Sages maintained would be the main battle of the two meshichim against the Angel of Esau.  This is a revelation explaining the verse: from Emeq Achor to [999] (Hos.  2:17), which is 999 in the sefira Yesod, as well as in gematria.  This is the explanation of the Gaon regarding the mystery of the Hebrew alphabet in connection with the line of Yosef in the revelation of “a good eye [bountiful man] will be blessed.” It is divided into two: 499 on the left side, and 499 on the right side as revealed by the fact that there will be two armies, and in gematria this is 999 footsteps of the Mashiach as is known.  This is the beginning of the completion of the 500 in vau on the right and 500 in on the left.  This is what is meant that “there is  hope regarding your end, ” that is said regarding Mashiach ben Yosef, as explained above (#60) on the aspect “there is hope regarding your end” [Jer.  31:16].  This is the beginning of the victory and the fulfillment of the commandments dependent on living in Eretz Israel.  This is the Gaon’s explanation of the verse mentioned above: Emeq Achor to Petach Tikva (as explained below in Chapter 5).